Yıldız Hamidiye Mosque

The Hamidiye Mosque ( Turkish Yıldız Hamidiye Camisi or Yıldız Hamidiye Camii ) is situated in the district of Beşiktaş İstanbul.

Architectural History

Sultan Abdulhamid II built the mosque by the Armenian architect Sarkis Balyan in 1885. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the Yıldız Palace complex.

Background

Until the construction of the Hamidiye Mosque Sultan Abdulhamid II held the Friday prayers in different mosques of Istanbul from. Over time, the Sultan bundled all the power and concentrated it in the Yıldız Palace. Previously, he resided in the Dolmabahçe Palace, but was too uncertain, so that he feared a dethronement. So left the Sultan reluctant to his new palace and had therefore build the Hamidiye Mosque, so as not to have to leave the palace grounds.

Assassination

1905 survived Sultan Abdulhamid II a stop. On July 21, 1905, a Belgian bombers had laid on behalf of the Armenian Dashnagzoutiun dynamite in his car, while the Sultan, the mosque was doing his Friday prayers. A delay of a few minutes saved the sultan 's life. It killed 26 members of the entourage of the Sultan and 58 were injured.